. >> the first presidential debate -- mitt romney and president obama go head-to-head tonight at 9:00 right here. we are outside the ritchie center in colorado where the showdown will take place. >> good evening. when this debate starts here tonight at the university of denver, moderator jim lehrer will ban clapping. so, he says, we as america can concentrate on what the candidates are saying. >> i have made up my mind, but i would still like to see both of the candidates sweat a little bit. >> president obama was relaxed this week. mitt romney, too, but he knows he has to change perceptions tonight. more voters see romney negatively than positively, and that loses elections. >> only two presidential candidates in the last 20 years have had a net negative image at this point and one of them lost, george h. w. bush, ann romney needs to improve that dynamic. >> romney got good news from three battlegrounds. in florida, he is down only by one. . still way behind in ohio peeling -- in florida, he is down only by one. he is still way behind in ohio. in virginia, he is behind by two. >> the